IPOH, Feb 1 — A man was arrested for possessing a vegetable knife during Thaipusam festival near the Sri Subramaniar Temple, Gunung Cheroh here, yesterday.

Perak Police deputy chief DCP Mohammad Azlin Sadari said the 34-year-old suspect was detained at around 11.30am.

“The suspect said the vegetable knife was for self-protection. However, given his past records involving violent and drug-related offences, it was unreasonable for him to have the knife, and the police acted to detain him,” he said.

He spoke to reporters at the Perak Police High Profile Policing Programme with the community in conjunction with the Thaipusam festival at the Sri Subramaniar Temple compound today.

Mohammad Azlin said the suspect has been remanded for three days from today to assist investigations under Section 6(1) of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Azlin said the Drone Unit of the Police Air Wing also detained an 80-year-old man today for flying a drone without a permit from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) in the same area.

He said the man was released on police bail, but the drone was seized for further investigation.

He added that a total of 763 police officers and personnel were deployed statewide during Thaipusam. — Bernama